Name: Authentic Greek Spinach Rice (Spanakorizo)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium white or yellow onion (finely chopped); 2 pounds fresh spinach (roughly chopped (or 1 pound frozen, thawed + squeezed)); 1 cup medium-grain white rice; 2 tablespoons fresh dill (chopped); 1 ½–2 cups vegetable broth (add more as needed); salt and pepper (to taste); 1 fresh lemon, juiced (plus extra to serve)

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Spanakorizo (Greek spinach rice) is a classic Greek spinach and rice dish that is bursting with lemon and fresh dill flavors. This budget-friendly and vegan recipe will win over the most anti-spinach person! (Yes, it’s that good!). This authentic “white” version is the traditional one you’ll find all over Greece. It is ready in just 40 minutes and is naturally gluten-free. I’ve also included how to make the popular red (tomato) spanakorizo variation!

In college, I would eat spanakorizo at a Greek restaurant near my apartment. I was always amazed at how much I liked it! Don’t get me wrong, I like spinach, but in my rice? Turns out Greek spinach rice is delicious!

Soon after, I started making it at home. It was a fast, easy recipe that fit my college student budget! I would make a large batch and eat it over several days. (I also did this with Lebanese vermicelli rice!)

I would love to tell you that I perfected this recipe in the years since. But much like puff pastry spanakopita, spanakorizo is so easy to make that perfection is almost guaranteed! (I would say guaranteed, but I have heard stories of people burning rice.)

Prep Time
10 Minutes

Total Time
40 Minutes

Servings
4 sides

Diet
Vegan, GF

What Is Spanakorizo?

Spanakorizo (pronounced spah-nah-KOH-ree-zoh) is a simple rice dish made with spinach, rice, dill, and lots of lemon! This is very similar to spanakopita, but without the pastry or feta. Like most traditional recipes, this is not a hard and fast rule, and you can add feta! (I added the Follow Your Heart vegan feta. It tastes the same!)

Red spanakorizo is this same recipe with one-two tablespoons with tomato paste for a deeper flavor.

Why This Recipe…

Quick prep and fast recipe.
Excellent way to add vegetables to your diet.
Budget-friendly recession-proof ingredients.

Key Ingredients (And Why They Matter)

Spinach

You can use fresh or frozen spinach. If you are using frozen, you will need to let it thaw and squeeze out the liquid. And when I say squeeze, I mean SQUEEZE! If you do not, this will turn the spanakorizo watery.

Rice

You will want to use a medium-grain rice. In Greece, the common choices are Carolina or glacé. To make it easier, I use Arborio. It is easy to find at any large grocery store and also medium-grain sized. If you prefer brown rice, plan on additional cooking time.

Fresh Dill

Dill is the signature flavor, and using fresh is a must!

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How to Make Spanakorizo (Step-by-Step with Photos)

Step One: Prepare the Vegetables

Spinach – You can use fresh or frozen. Follow the corresponding instructions below.

Frozen: Thaw completely and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Fresh: Rinse, dry, and roughly chop. Remove only the thick lower stems.

Onion – Dice the onion

Step One: Sauté the Vegetables

Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent (4–5 minutes).

Step Three: Add Spinach in Batches

Add the spinach in 3–4 batches, letting each batch wilt down before adding the next (if using frozen, it will just break apart as it warms). Stir until all spinach is combined and softened.

A batch of spinach added to the skillet to make Greek spinach rice.

Step Four: Rice and Simmer

Add rice, dill, salt, and pepper. Pour in 1 and ½ cups of broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 18–20 minutes, adding more broth if the pan gets dry before the rice is fully cooked.

Adding basmati rice to a skillet with onions and spinach.

Step Five: Finish with Lemon

Remove from heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, taste, and add more salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.

Personalize This Recipe

Beans
Technically, spanakorizo is a main dish. But if I am eating it as a main dish, I like to add beans. This adds protein and makes it more filling, in my humble opinion. I prefer garbanzo or white beans.

Feta
Feta cheese naturally fits with this recipe. I use the vegan brand Follow Your Heart. It tastes just like the real thing!

Herbs
Instead of dill, try adding parsley and/or mint. These are common ingredients in Greek and Lebanese cooking.

Red Spanakorizo
To make this variation, add one to two tablespoons of tomato paste when you stir in the rice.

Adding vegan feta cheese to rice with spinach, lemon and dill.

Tips for the Best Spanakorizo

If using fresh spinach, you want to squeeze out the water like you mean it! Excess water is the number one reason your spinach rice will turn out mushy.
Toast the dry rice in the pan for sixty seconds before adding broth. This will give you a better texture and allow the rice to absorb the broth faster.
Use low-sodium broth and then add salt during cooking and at the end. This will allow you to control the sodium.

Perfect Pairings

Frequently Asked Questions

Both traditional recipes are made with spinach, which is why there is a similarity in the names. Spanakopita is a savory pastry recipe that also includes feta cheese. Spanakorizo, on the other hand, is a simple rice dish that includes spinach.

Yes. You can make spanakorizo with brown rice, but it requires additional cooking time. Brown rice takes longer to soften and absorb liquid. For this recipe to work with brown rice, you will need to add extra broth and time. When the rice is tender, your spankorizo is ready!

Spanakorizo literally means “spinach rice.” The name comes from two Greek words: spanaki (σπανάκι), meaning spinach, and ryzi (ρύζι), meaning rice. It refers to the traditional Greek recipe made by braising spinach, rice, dill, and lemon together

Store spanakorizo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. When you reheat it, add a splash of broth or water. This will help loosen it up, making it easier to reheat. I do not recommend freezing it. The ice crystals that form during freezing will change the texture into mush.

If you tried this spinach rice recipe or any other recipe on my blog leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below.

More Recipes With Spinach

Try making puff pastry Spanakopita. My recipe is super easy and it saves time from buttering lots of phyllo dough sheets!
Julia Child’s spinach quiche is one of the few vegetarian recipes on my site. If you love quiche and dairy, try this recipe! It is the BEST quiche you will ever have. Truly!